A new accessory

You can't always get what you want.

But if you try sometimes you just might find

You get what you need.

~ The Rolling Stones

Did you notice the new little doodad I put on the blog this morning? You're forgiven if you didn't, as it doesn't look much different from what used to be there. And it certainly doesn't mean as much to you as it does to me.

Unless you're my children. Or my husband. Or anyone who must have anything to do with me in person, face-to-face, on a regular basis.

In the little box labeled ODAT, the image has a 23 on it. Yesterday it had a 22. Which means I've had another birthday, of sorts.

Another year, One Day At a Time, for a total of 23 years of not taking a drink. Today marks 8401 days of living life alcohol-free. I've gone through a divorce, changed jobs, bought and sold property, and gone to weddings (including my own!), funerals, celebrations and the grocery store without getting drunk.

And that, my friends, is a miracle.

I wrote a little bit of my story here, in case you're interested.

If life hadn't continually gotten better, year after year, believe me I'd have crawled back into a bottle by now. But it has.

Of course there are ups and downs. No life is perfect. The miracle is that through working a few simple (but not easy) steps, doing the next right thing, working with someone who has done this before, helping others who are willing to be helped and being oh-so-grateful every damned day, the ups and downs are manageable without my needing to alter my reality.

As long as I continued to drink, I had no choice about stopping. And I really did need to drink, because real life was too real. I don't know why my perception of my life was so raw and jagged and painful.

And I don't even care.

Today I'm living the best life I know how to live, and (as my late sponsor reminded me nearly daily) I'm right where I'm supposed to be.

If you think you have a problem with alcohol, I urge you to call Alcoholics Anonymous sooner rather than later. You'll find people from all walks of life who know you better than you know yourself. They will be patient and tolerant in a way no one else has been or will be for you. They will challenge you and cheer for you and help you help yourself. You will learn responsibility and service. And humility.

And if you live with someone who has a problem with alcohol, please find an Al-Anon meeting. The entire world would be a better place to live if we all went to Al-Anon.